Stacker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about a machine used in bulk material handling applications. For other uses of the term,
see Stacker (disambiguation). This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone
or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (June 2010)

Krupp coal stacker featuring tripper conveyor and non-slewing, luffing boom at RTCA Kestrel Mine

A stacker is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications. A stacker's function is to pile
bulk material such as limestone, ores and cereals onto a stockpile. A reclaimer can be used to recover
the material.

A stacker usually operates on a rail-like structure with movable wheels, but the main operation is
performed on a fixed place.

Gold dredges in Alaska had a stacker that was a fixed part of the dredge. The stacker carried off over-
size material to the tailings pile.

Stackers are nominally rated in tph (tonnes per hour) for capacity and normally travel on a rail between
stockpiles in the stockyard. A stacker can usually move in at least two directions typically: horizontally
along the rail and vertically by luffing its boom. Luffing of the boom minimises dust by reducing the
height that the coal needs to fall to the top of the stockpile. The boom is luffed upwards as the stockpile
height grows.

Some stackers are able to rotate by slewing the boom. This allows a single stacker to form two
stockpiles, one on either side of the conveyor.

Stackers are used to stack into different patterns, such as cone stacking and chevron stacking. Stacking
in a single cone tends to cause size segregation, with coarser material moving out towards the base.
Raw cone ply stacking is when additional cones are added next to the first cone. Chevron stacking is
when the stacker travels along the length of the stockpile adding layer upon layer of material.

Stackers and reclaimers were originally manually controlled manned machines with no remote control.
Modern machines are typically semi-automatic or fully automated, with parameters remotely set.

The controlling system used is typically a PLC (programmable logic controller) with an HMI (human-
machine interface) for display connected to a central control system.

Other than stacking, the stacker does three basic movements: luffing, travelling and slewing.

Luffing: This is vertical movement (that is, up & down). The old stackers used a winch(metal wire)
mechanism but the new stackers are powered by hydraulic cylinders (generally two). For example,
Stacker 3 at Vizaf Port Trust, Vishakhapatnam India.

Travelling: The stacker moves on a rail track. It may be a broad gauge or narrow gauge. This enables the
stacker to move around the stock yard as required. For this purpose traction motors (dc powered) are
connected to wheels ( 12-22) via gears ( bevel). All the controls are in the controller's cabin which is
above the boom conveyor or boom in case of manual control. The new stackers can be controlled
remotely.

Slewing: This is the movement of the stacker around its central axis (that is, rotary movement). This
allows aligning or placing the stockpile in the required area as per requirement. This works mostly by
swel penion which rotates around a swel base. This type of gear assembly is called the sun and planet.
the awels may be multiple & are powered by awel motors(dc powered) which transmit the torque via
gears( bevel helical ).

The conveyors used in the stackers may be fabric or metal wire type, depending upon the material being
handled. The conveyors are in turn driven by pulleys. The pulleys are driven by DC motors. The motor
and gear are coupled by fluid coupling.

Most stackers are electrically powered by way of a trailing cable. There are basically two types of cable
trailing: PCRD (power cord rotating drum) and CCRD (control cable rotating drum). Pendulum
adjustments are made to ensure the proper alignment of these cables while the stacker is travelling.
Reclaimer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the reclaimer machine. For other uses of the term, see Reclaimer (disambiguation).

Krupp twin-boom portal reclaimer at RTCA Kestrel Mine

Krupp bridge reclaimer at RTCA Kestrel Mine

A reclaimer is a large machine used in bulk material handling applications. A reclaimer's function is to
recover bulk material such as ores and cereals from a stockpile. A stacker is used to stack the material.

Reclaimers are volumetric machines and are rated in m3/h (cubic meters per hour) for capacity, which is
often converted to t/h (tonnes per hour) based on the average bulk density of the material being
reclaimed. Reclaimers normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard. A bucket wheel
reclaimer can typically move in three directions: horizontally along the rail; vertically by "luffing" its
boom and rotationally by slewing its boom. Reclaimers are generally electrically powered by means of a
trailing cable.

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Reclaimer types

Bucket wheel reclaimers use "bucket wheels" for removing material from the pile they are reclaiming.
Scraper reclaimers use a series of scrapers on a chain to reclaim the material.

The reclaimer structure can be of a number of types, including portal and bridge. Reclaimers are named
according to this type, such as "Bridge reclaimer". Portal and bridge reclaimers can both use either
bucket wheels or scrapers to reclaim the product. Bridge type reclaimers blend the stacked product as it
is reclaimed.

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Control systems
Stackers and Reclaimers were originally manually-controlled manned machines with no remote control.
Modern machines are typically fully automated with their parameters (for stacking or reclaiming)
remotely set. Some older reclaimers may still be manually controlled, as reclaiming is more difficult to
automate than stacking because the automatic detection of pile edges is complicated by different
environmental conditions and different bulk materials.

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See also